[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 7]
[House]
[Page 9621]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    MAGNA CARTA'S 800TH ANNIVERSARY

  (Mr. LaMALFA asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. LaMALFA. Mr. Speaker, today, we celebrate the 800th anniversary 
of the Magna Carta, a document with principles that served as a 
cornerstone in our Nation's founding as the Republic of the United 
States of America.
  Eight hundred years ago to the day, following the unyielding and 
commendable efforts of rebel barons who would no longer accept the 
arbitrary abuses under a tyrannical monarchy, King John placed his seal 
on this Latin text, subjecting every person, whether he be king or 
peasant, to the rule of law. It was this exact premise on which the 
document based its lasting legacy, to be a nation of laws rather than a 
nation of men.
  This idea is just as important today as it was 800 years ago. It can 
be no better represented than in the protections guaranteed under the 
Fifth Amendment of our Constitution, stating that no person shall be 
deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law.
  I rise today to honor 800 years of Magna Carta and to show my 
appreciation for all those who have made the tremendous sacrifice to 
defend the founding principles derived from the ideas of liberty and 
justice.

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